Page 353 of A Merry Mountain Christmas

Poor Ein looked miserable, so he hurried downstairs and clipped on their leashes to take them out, not that he was worried about them running off. They were so excited he was there, he could barely get them to focus on the task at hand.

“Come on, Ein. I really want to see your mommy naked again. Let’s take that poop already.”

It was another five minutes before they finally finished their business, and while he would have loved nothing more than to race up the stairs, stripping off his clothes as he took the stairs two at a time, he knew how much Maisie loved her morning coffee. He started a pot, then headed up to the bathroom, telling the pouting dogs, “I’ll feed you later. I’ll give you extra if you promise to stop trying to make me feel guilty.”

The water was still running when he opened the door, the dogs sitting in the hall behind him, and he quickly dropped his pants and parted the shower curtain.

Maisie was standing under the shower in all her naked glory. “I was about to send a search party.”

“Turned out Ein wanted time with me too.”

She pulled the curtain to the side and laughed at the sight of Ein wagging his tail in the doorway. “It looks like he still doesn’t feel he’s had enough.”

“Too bad,” he said, picking up a bottle of body wash and squeezing some into his hand. He slid a hand over her shoulder.

“I already washed. Somebody took too long.”

“You can never be too clean,” he said as he glided his hand down to cup her breast.

She sharply inhaled. “I guess theydosay cleanliness is next to godliness.”

“I think that makes you a goddess.”

She laughed. “It’s about time.”

They got dressed,then headed down to the kitchen, and Maisie kissed him senseless again once she realized he’d made coffee. She poured to-go mugs for both of them while he fed the dogs, and then they took off for the shelter. They took all the dogs out to pee and let them have some playtime before bringing them back in for breakfast. He was surprised when he saw so many empty kennels, and she told him they’d had a surge of adoptions after his Instagram photos.

Ruby was overjoyed to see him and covered him with kisses.

Maisie gave him a pointed look, which made him sigh. “I would…you know I would, but it’s not a good idea right now with Lee staying at the house and everything up in the air. Plus, Jezebel doesn’t like most dogs.”

She huffed a laugh. “No kidding. I know, I just feel bad for her. A family was interested a couple of weeks ago, but they changed their mind.”

“What can we do to find her a home?”

“Honestly, the Instagram posts have made a huge difference.” She gave him an ornery look. “Quite a few women have specifically asked for you. I may need you to make celebrity appearances from time to time.”

“You don’t mind?” he asked.

She grinned. “First rule of running a shelter: tug the heartstrings. Second rule: do anything you can to seal an adoption.” She gave his arm a tap. “Well, within reason. As long as you come home with me, they can look all they want.”

Maisie was torn about when to give the dogs their stockings, but they worried they’d be late for brunch since they’d gotten a late start.

“Let’s just come back later,” Jack said. “You know Iris is going to want to be part of it. She can take pictures for Instagram.” His lips tipped up. “Maximize the heartstring pulling.”

“Okay,” she said. “But let’s make sure we do it this afternoon. I don’t want to keep them waiting.”

“Deal.”

Maisie drove them to the Buchanan house, and Jack couldn’t stop looking at her, her hair like a fire in the sun. He reached over and took her hand, shocked all over again that this gorgeous, feisty redhead was his.

“If you look at me like that at brunch,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Lee might take us out back and hose us down.”

“I think he’ll be feeling his hangover too much to notice me lusting after you.” But the thought of Lee was sobering. The guy was in serious trouble, and he was going to need his siblings to help him through it. Would he want Jack’s help too?

Everyone had already arrived by the time they walked in the door. Christmas music was playing, and the delicious smells made his stomach growl. Finn was sitting on the sofa with Addy on his lap. Tyrion lay on the floor at his feet, but he was staring up at Addy as though she’d hung the moon. Iris was in the overstuffed chair next to them, reading something on her phone, but her face lit up when she saw Jack holding Maisie’s hand.

“This is the best Christmas present ever!” she exclaimed, launching herself out of the chair and into his arms.

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